Raid Of Three Cities: Davis Pulls It Off
The agreement Al Davis struck to keep his Raiders in Los Angeles remains contingent upon a satisfactory environmental impact report on renovation of Memorial Coliseum.
One question: Won't the lingering bad feelings from Davis's negotiations kill the deal?
Even Seattle SuperSonic owner Barry Ackerley could learn from Davis, who orchestrated one of the all-time master bluffs in securing last week the local commitment he deemed necessary to avert a franchise move.
It's no simple task prodding any government to action, much less that of the second-largest city in the country, and Davis is no simpleton.
He not only threatened, but signed two contracts for moves (to Irwindale and Oakland) before this latest agreement, and maintained his leverage even after Oakland modified its offer by stoking hope in the Bay Area.
One curious newspaper report quoted an unidentified Raider player as saying Davis told the team they would skip to Oakland this season. And local officials and business friends of Davis in Oakland insisted publicly that a homecoming was all but a done deal.
The Raiders got to deny the rumors, but, my, what productive rumors those were, for who could believe a shifty fellow like Davis? Even NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue tacitly participated in the charade, declining to impose a deadline or parameters for relocation.
A return to Oakland never made much more than romantic sense. Los Angeles fans have shown they will fill 90,000 seats if the Raiders, out of the playoffs since 1985, give them reason. The Rams belong to Orange County now. And the potential for revenue is enormous with a smaller and skybox-loaded Coliseum, especially with pay-per-view options coming up as soon as the next television contract in 1994.
The Los Angeles market is so potentially lucrative that Spectacor, a private company running the Coliseum, has committed to paying for the $145 million in renovations, leaving the public cost at only $42 million.
Not even Davis, in denying his colossal bluff, could get around his real motive. The Raiders moved to Los Angeles eight years ago for a reason, and it had nothing to do with sentimentality.
``I would say L.A. kept it (the team) on its own merits,'' Davis said. ``It had the team on its own merits as far back as 1982.''
Neither Davis nor city officials expect a problem in gaining environmental approval for the stadium, to be reduced from 92,000 to 70,000 seats. Probably the only way the deal would fall through is if Spectacor fails to raise financing for renovation.
RUN-AND-FLUB?
If there's one thing that can be said about the more widespread use of the run-and-shoot heading into the second week of the regular season, it's not that it hasn't proven that it can score or move the ball - but that turnovers often result.
Detroit scored 21 points in losing to Tampa Bay last Sunday, but a trio of Buc touchdowns were set up by three of the Lions' six turnovers.
Houston had more first downs (27) than any team in the league in its 47-27 defeat at Atlanta, but quarterback Warren Moon had an interception returned for a touchdown and twice had his fumbles picked up and run in for scores.
The Seahawks, of course, were shut out and managed just 132 yards - however, they only had the ball for 20 minutes, 21 seconds, and much of that time was not in the spread. When they were in the formation, it failed, but offensive coordinator John Becker said only one of Dave Krieg's three interceptions came while in the spread formation.
``Sloppy football,'' Becker said. The turnovers ``are not tied to any scheme.''
UPROOTED
Most Raider players probably would have voted to stay in Los Angeles because their lives are settled there, said Bob Golic. But the veteran defensive tackle, who played at New England and Cleveland before joining the Raiders last season, could have adjusted to a move to Oakland.
``I just would have gotten my real-estate license and tried to recoup some of the money from all the houses I would have owned,'' he said.
DITKA DOESN'T CARE
Coach Lindy Infante announced the Green Bay Packers' starting quarterback today against Chicago will be Anthony Dilweg, the backup who sparkled last Sunday against the Rams, leaving Don Majkowski as a cheerleader again. Majkowski, last year's starter, held out all of the exhibition season before signing a one-year contract worth up to $2 million.
Coach Mike Ditka, whose Chicago Bears lost twice last year to Infante's Majkowski-led Packers, said he didn't care which quarterback played for the Pack.
``That would only matter if we cared,'' said Ditka, who never has dropped three straight games to any coach. ``It doesn't make any difference who plays, whether it's the rich one or the poor one.''
MORAL FOOTBALL
As a football man of integrity and leader of young Americans, University of Pittsburgh Coach Paul Hackett objects to the manner in which Atlanta Coach Jerry Glanville conducts himself.
``Why in the world doesn't the NFL do something about that guy?'' Hackett asked. ``Why do teams keep hiring him? Glanville has a style that is morally borderline.''
Hackett, incidentally, also lost a job to Glanville, in 1986 when they were candidates for the Houston Oilers' position.
But Glanville has alienated more than just those he squeezed out. The person who squeezed him out as Oilers coach, Jack Pardee, certainly feels no chummier with Glanville for being called ``a total jerk'' last Sunday after the marathon 47-27 Falcon victory.
Glanville dedicated the game ball to SMU Coach Forrest Gregg, a friend of his. Remember, Pardee ran up the score on SMU 95-21 last year when Pardee was at the University of Houston.
``Some people's egos can't get fed enough,'' Pardee said.
SEW SILLY
The state lottery jackpot in Florida has gotten so high, a record $100 million, that even the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing. Chris Chandler, the former University of Washington quarterback who now is backup to Vinny Testaverde, figures his odds of winning are ``about as good as me starting this weekend'' against Detroit.
Overhearing third-stringer Jeff Carlson tell reporters that he wouldn't know what to do with the jackpot, Chandler (who makes $719,000 this season) interrupted.
``That's not what you told me,'' Chandler said. ``He's going to buy the team so he can become the starting quarterback - told me I could hold for kicks.''
DOWN-AND-OUTS
Chalk up the fate of former Husky safety Eugene Burkhalter, jilted by the NFL and now without his college eligibility, to nothing more than poor self-evaluation. For those 19 underclassmen who correctly assessed themselves as draft-ready, 17 made their teams. The two not on NFL rosters are quarterback Major Harris and running back Marcus Wilson, both drafted by the Raiders.
The San Diego Chargers' move today back to Billy Joe Tolliver, who displaces starter Mark Vlasic after one week, is their 11th quarterback change in 35 games. Their record during that span is 12-22.
History says Denver, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Houston, Minnesota and the L.A. Rams can dismiss any Super Bowl aspirations if they lose today. No 0-2 team that made the playoffs the previous season has advanced to the title game.
MIXED SIGNALS
Ray Perkins, Tampa Bay coach, trying to compliment Gary Anderson: ``He's a great player. He ceases to amaze me every day.''
Tom Farrey covers the Seattle Seahawks and NFL for The Times. Some of the information was obtained from other reporters from around the league.